Background actors on HBO’s new series Westworld had to sign a consent form agreeing to participate in extremely sexually graphic sexual situations.
According to reports, background extras had to sign consent forms to participate in sexual situations including “genital-to-genital touching” and posing “on all fours while others who are fully nude ride on your back.” The scenes are so sexually suggestive that a SAG-AFTRA union representative was sent to monitor the situation when the sex scene is being shot.
From Deadline:
The consent agreement was given to an unknown number of extras by Central Casting, which is casting the show’s background players. It states: “This document serves to inform you that this project will require you to be fully nude and/or witness others fully nude and participate in graphic sexual situations. By accepting this Project assignment, you may be required to do any of the following: appear fully nude; wear a pubic hair patch; perform genital-to-genital touching; have your genitals painted; simulate oral sex with hand-to-genital touching; contort to form a table-like shape while being fully nude; pose on all fours while others who are fully nude ride on your back; ride on someone’s back while you are both fully nude; and other assorted acts the Project may require. The Project will also include language and sexual situations that some may consider personally objectionable or uncomfortable.”
According to SAG-AFTRA, the agreement may be unenforceable if it conflicts with the terms of the union’s Television Agreement, which provides consent to appear in scenes requring nudity or sex acts may be withdrawn at any point in time. As Deadline points out, the set must be closed to anyone not having business with the production, and that no still photography may be authorized without the consent of the background actor.
HBO’s Westworld is described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin,” the series tells the story of a futuristic theme park called Westworld. Westworld features Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Rachel Evan Wood.
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Did HBO go too far? What do you think about this contract background extras must sign to appear on ‘WestWorld? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below!
